The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1887-12-02
TARIFF AND REvEsv .

Several weeks ago an intelligent, pro
tectionist correspondent Of Farm, StocI
and Home, with when we have had !
little good natured controversy, asked II Il
was not a fact that towering the tariff
would actually increase the revenues, and
the surplns, instead Of decreasing theirs be
ea'ise Of the increased quantity Of import,
which would follow lower duties.
At The time the question was received
we really thought our correspondent wa.
joking, that he knew better, bat asked the
question just to "put in the time" so we
paid no attention 10 IT. But recently We
have discovered that protectionists have
dropped the British gold" and "pauper
labor" chestnuts for time and are seri.
ously arguing that n reduction Of tariEi
duties will increase the revenues. ThI
discovery leads usto believe that possibly
our correspondent was IN earnest, 50 We
apologize 10 him and answer his question
at the same time.
We thought everybody knew that =
government which obtained It's revenue
principally from q tariff tax, raised or low.
cred the tax ms II wanted more or less
money, asit would Il supported by any
other kind OF tax but II seems We were
mistaken IN this. Our government has
had much experience In this direction, and
has enough recorded precedents to cstab.
lIsh an absolute guarantee as 10 the future
effects OF tariffs on revenues.
The FIRST tariff act Was passed la r7so,
when the government was In pressing
need OF money. The duties averaged from
six to ten per cent, but were gradually In.
creased. as more money was needed, until
1905. During this time tho revenues In.
creased with the increasing tariff, and In
the same ratio, growth OF population con.
sIdered. Al the last named date the tariff
was rsdneed,and the revenues immediate.
~ fell OF. On the breaking ont Of the war
Of 1872 lhe tariff was doubled What q
queer move this was II the anore tariff the
less revenue" theory Is correct But
doubling the tariff increased the revenue
In one year from TO I3 millions. But
slight reductions were made In this tariff
until ssa4, when = low tariff period began.
Under its operations the revenues fell, In
a few years, to ! millions, though popula-
ton was rapidly Increasing al the time.
In is4s began smother high tariff period
lasting four years. Daring the first year
oithis period the revenues reached z6 mil
lions. In 1870 duties were again reduced,
producing a corresponding reduction In
customs receipts. From 1876 70 1857 there
was but little @tarIH tinkerlng." duties re-.
naming about stat onary. and revenues
increasing with increasing population and
wealth.. both largely resulting from the
discovery OF gold In California. AZ the
last named date duties were greatly redue.
ed, the free iiss enlarged. and the whole
customs system slmpIifsd. The first year
Of this new order Of things rsdassd the
revenues one.shsrd--or from % 70 ~ mil
lions. This low tariff period lasted aniil
the war Of the rebellion. and during that
time the revenues were constantly decreas.
Ing, though population was rapidly In.
creasIng. II now became necessary for
the government to raise enormous sums
OF money, with which to prosecute the
war. According to our "laster.day saints"
OF protection, government should have
provided for its largely increased needs by
reducing the tariff, so that the "country
would be looded with the products Of pau.
per labor" the duties on which would be
enormous because Of the enormous GUAM
tites Of imports. But the government did
nothing of the sort. Duties were very
largely increased, and 50 was the revenue.
In 1860 tho revenue from customs for
the whole United States was 80 millions.
In 1864 il was 49millions for the North.
ern States alone. In 90 Il was 90 millions,
and in % 1t reached fo7 millions. duties
were always on gold basis.l This In
crease kept on until In 1884, II reached 7so
millions. In 1888 there was 4 slight re.
duction In duties, averaging less than 5
per cent--the only reduction since the ex.
traordlnary tariff OF war times-but even
this was Immediately shown In the rev
enuc. which was Io4 millions In 1884.
In the light Of these facts, the conclu
sion that reduction in tariff duties wsulc
cause reduction In revenues must Ger
tainly seem reasonable one to the mos
prejudicial mind, to others itis an inevi
table one.